Valtteri Bottas said on Wednesday he thinks it is “funny” that four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel has been rumoured to take his seat at Mercedes in 2021.
The Finnish driver, who like six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is out of contract with Mercedes at the end of this year, has got used to seeing his seat in peril.
“It’s the same as every year for me,” Bottas told Sky Sports. “I find it quite funny that with not even a single race done, there’s been people getting my seat. It made me laugh! So there’s no pressure from that side. I have my clear goal for the season in my mind and that’s it. Things will then sort themselves one way or another, whatever’s going to happen. I’ve no stress about that at all.”
Vettel stunned F1 during the coronavirus lockdown by revealing he is quitting Ferrari once the truncated 2020 campaign ends. It is still unclear whether or not the German will stay in the sport.
“It doesn’t get to you,” Bottas added. “We’ve been very honest about what the situation is all the time about contracts, and I got a pretty straight message that no, they’re not considering Seb. So I said fine, no worries then.”
The 2020 F1 season will finally get underway in Austria with back-to-back races on July 5 and 12.